miss americana | jj maybank

eight | heartbreak girl

eight | heartbreak girl
[102: lucky compass]

By the time Tess arrived at work, John B's words still echoed in her mind. Hope. She hadn't had that in a long time. Especially not when it came to her father.

"Hey, I grabbed to-go boxes for the Robinsons for you," Beck said. "They said they were trying to catch your eye."

Tess winced. "Shit. Thank you."

"It's no problem," Beck replied, staring at her friend worriedly. "You never forget anything for the Robinsons. Usually spend half of their time here at their table." She was right, of course. The Robinsons were Tess's most favorite regulars. "You good?"

"I'm fine. I'm good," Tess assured, nodding as if convincing herself. "Just need to get in the zone."

Then she was off, surveying her tables again. Beck made her way over the host station where Charlie stood, having watched their entire interaction. He always watched Tess's every move. He still was when his sister bumped her hips against his to push him out of the way of the hostess stand. "What are you doing?" he asked, just then tuning in.

Beck picked up the tablet that controlled the restaurant's playlist. She searched for a special song and put it up next on the queue.

"Dude, you know the Carerras don't like us fucking with the playlist," he scolded.

Beck glared at him. "Duh. It's an emergency."

She set the tablet back down and came around the bar seating, waiting for the melody to click in Tess's head. She turned towards her best friend as the familiar guitar intro echoed through the dining room.

"You call me up," Beck sang along as it jumped into the lyrics. "It's like a broken record. Saying that your heart hurts." She and Tess slowly moved towards each other. "Though you never get over him getting over you."

"And you end up crying. And I end up lying," Tess entoned. "Cause I'm just a sucker for anything that you do! And when the phone call finally ends-"

"You say thanks for being a friend," Beck carried on, mocking a tear going down her cheek with an exaggerated pout.

"Then we're going in circles again and again!" Tess cried, before they both jumped into the chorus.

"I dedicate this song to you! The one who never sees the truth! That I can take away your hurt, heartbreak gi-i-irl. Hold you tight straight through the daylight! I'm right here. When you gonna realize? That I'm your cu-u-ure, heartbreak girl!"

The girls shamelessly danced through the center of the room. Beck laughed and went off to take care of another table while Tess returned to the bar. Charlie met her there.

"I bite my tongue," he sang alongside her quietly, saddling up to her side. "But I wanna scream out. You can be with me, now. But I end up telling you what you wanna hear."

"But you're not ready. And it's so frustrating," Tess continued, patting his cheek. "He treats you so bad and I'm so good to you it's not fair!"

"And when the phone call finally ends. You say I'll meet you tomorrow at ten," Beck added as she returned to the bar with the other two. "And I'm stuck in the friend zone again and again!"

As the chorus jumped in yet again, Tess was taken back to her many memories with this song. With the Jacobs siblings, it was one of her first times hanging at their house after they started at the Kook Academy. Tess discovered the 5 Second of Summer poster in Beck's bedroom and the girls hosted an impromptu listening party of all of their favorites. They traded off, blasting the songs through the house, until Charlie stomped over, fuming that they had carried on so long.